The process of choosing an attorney is an important one and can be confusing. You simply want to know if you can trust me to handle your legal issue. You want to know if you’ll make a personal connection and not feel like another face in the crowd; whether I can meet you where you are and truly understand your needs. Some attorneys go directly from high school to college, on to law school, then into practice. There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with that; it’s been a successful route for more than a few. However, that overlooks the value of...

Representing Landlords in Eviction Cases. Assisting Interstate Household Goods Moving Companies with Tariffs and Contracts. Practicing member of the State Bar of California and the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

As a founding Partner, Randall Sutter is involved in the daily operations of the law firm with emphasis in the following practice areas: Bankruptcy and Consumer Advocacy: Mr. Sutter helps individuals and small businesses develop asset protection strategies and counsels various options for eliminating or restructuring debt and liabilities. Not only is Mr. Sutter knowledgeable in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases, but he has also successfully confirmed plans for complicated Chapter 11 reorganization cases. General Business Counsel: As a business owner and entrepreneur for 25 years, Mr. Sutter brings a unique perspective to helping small...

Chris Jones, a longtime resident of Santa Barbara, has practiced law since 1972. His philosophy of making law easy, understandable, clear and comfortable (”making you an expert”) has helped him become one of the most well respected and knowledgeable Trusts and Estate Planning attorneys in Santa Barbara and on the Central Coast.

His areas of expertise include: Wills, estates, trusts and probate, including living trusts, tax planning, business succession planning, irrevocable trusts, advanced direction of health care, generation-skipping planning and avoidance of probate. He is a California State Bar certified specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law. As his clients'...

Mr. Erickson's practice areas include business and commercial contract negotiations, entity formations and transactions, real estate acquisitions, sales, construction, land use planning and development, estate planning, employment law and internet law. Mr. Erickson serves domestic and international clients with respect to their interests throughout California. He enjoys long lasting relationships with many of his clients.

Mr. Erickson has developed a unique expertise in representing buyers and sellers of large estates, and advising on all aspects of the construction and management of such estates. A career accomplishment was partnering with an insurance underwriter to develop a unique course-of-construction insurance policy for large...

Mr. Wansor is an accomplished civil litigator. His practice is focused on personal injury, real estate, land use, hospitality, products liability, business torts, construction, and will and trust contests.

Mr. Wansor's analytical strengths allow for the accurate assessment of potential exposure and liability and the creation and implementation of sophisticated litigation strategies. Mr. Wansor's strategic sense and writing abilities lead to successful results, whether by keen negotiation or motions leading to the disposition of cases.

After teaching at the college level for over 25 years, Bruce McIver decided to take up the mantle of the law. He was reluctant to give up the security of his position, but took a chance and attended law school, graduating with honors and being admitted to the practice of law by the California Bar. While he enjoyed his years of teaching Shakespeare at Reed College, Union College, UCLA, UCSB, and the University of Ljubljana, he wanted to help people of a different ages, and in different ways, mindful of his clients' needs to manage their estates....

Charles "Chip" Oxton is a Santa Barbara attorney representing clients in all aspects of family law and civil litigation. Chip is a highly-skilled and respected legal advisor and litigator with nearly 40 years' experience practicing law in Santa Barbara. He has represented clients in a broad range of legal matters, including divorce and custody cases, personal injury and civil disputes, conservatorships and guardianships, wills and probate administration, real estate law, and landlord-tenant law. Legal disputes are often intense, emotionally-charged experiences for the parties involved. Chip's approach to practicing law involves providing clients with calm, reasoned advice in an environment devoted...

Mr. Sheffield is one of the top estate planning, tax, and trusts and estates attorneys on the Central Coast. His practice focuses on advising individuals and families regarding tax, estate planning, probate, trust and business succession matters, and advising corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies regarding business and tax matters.

Mr. Sheffield is a Certified Tax Specialist. He has been awarded a Martindale-Hubbell rating of AV Preeminent, signifying the highest level of ethical standards and legal ability, for 28 consecutive years. He has also been recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer.

Philip I. Moncharsh has been a litigation and trial lawyer since his admission to practice law in 1973. Mr. Moncharsh has successfully argued hundreds of cases to verdict in state and federal courts throughout California, and has also appeared before the California Supreme Court. Mr. Moncharsh's practice is focused on complex business and corporate disputes, insurance litigation and coverage issues, trust and estate litigation, real estate litigation, representation and counseling of public agencies and nonprofit organizations, personal injury, product liability, and professional negligence matters. He handles both civil trials and appeals.

Prior to joining Rogers, Sheffield & Campbell, LLP, Mr. Leck was a partner at the Santa Barbara law firm of Seed Mackall LLP. Mr. Leck began his legal career in Los Angeles at the international law firm of Latham & Watkins LLP. Mr. Leck received his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara and his law degree from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law.

Mr. David is one of the top tax and estate planning attorneys on the Central Coast. He also has substantial experience and expertise advising U.S. clients on wealth preservation, trust and estate administration and real estate, finance and business transactions, and advising foreign clients on structuring inbound purchases and investments and U.S. estate and gift tax planning.

Mr. David is well versed in all aspects of advanced estate and gift tax planning. The primary focus of his estate planning practice, however, is advising clients on personal family issues, including assisting with clients' philanthropic goals, helping to educate heirs about legal and...

I graduated from the University of Iowa in 1972. My first year out of law school, two friends from Perry and I opened a bar and music center in Iowa City called the C.O.D. Steam Laundry. After a year I moved to California where I traveled the West Coast as a craft vendor and follower of the Grateful Dead band. In 1990, I decided to settle down in Santa Barbara and joined the California State Bar, practicing family law. My interest in family law grew to the point where I wanted to become a specialist in family...

I am a California native originally from the San Joaquin Valley. I graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1970 where I studied Political Science. In 1975, after 3 years of world travel I formed an import clothing business. It included a Santa Barbara retail store and for 25 years operated as a national wholesale outlet. I took part in the management of the business and the design and distribution of the products. My duties included national and international travel, meeting with customers and vendors, as well as dealing with international banking and import/export requirements. The company...

Mr. Tomlinson's experience in tax planning, tax audits and appeals and international business transactions is unmatched on California’s Central Coast. Mr. Tomlinson's practice also focuses on estate planning, trust and estate administrations, business formations and mergers and acquisitions.

Mr. Tomlinson received J.D. degree from Northwestern University. He began his law career as an attorney with the IRS Chief Counsel's Office. He rose to senior trial attorney with the IRS and served for a period as acting IRS Assistant Regional Counsel.

After leaving the IRS, Mr. Tomlinson served as in house counsel for several Fortune 500 corporations over a span of 18 years,...

Estate Planning Lawyers in Nearby Counties

Estate planning arranges for the transfer of an individual's estate at the time of death. An estate consists of all property owned at death before it is distributed by will, trust, or intestacy laws. An estate may contain both real property and personal property. Estate planning allows an individual to decide exactly who will benefit from his or her estate, and to what extent. It can also reduce the taxes imposed on the transfer of assets at death.

An experienced estate planning lawyer can help minimize the amount of the estate surrendered to taxes as well as ensure that the management and distribution of the estate is carried out according to your plans. Particularly when your plans are complex and/or you have substantial property or assets, it is important to have an attorney who can ensure that your plan functions the way you intend. Depending on the complexity of your individual situation, your estate planning team may include attorneys, financial planners, bankers and insurance professionals. Some states certify attorneys as estate planning specialists, which means they have met certain requirements for experience, education, and testing in that field.

Fiduciary:
A person or institution who manages money or property for another and who must exercise a standard care imposed by law, i.e., personal representative or executor of an estate, a trustee, etc.

Personal representative:
The person who administers an estate. If named in a will, that person's title is an executor. If there is no valid will, that person's title is an administrator.